Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus

Abstract

The present invention aims at providing an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of acquiring more accurate tissue character values such as strain, an average elastic modulus, and an average viscosity. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention detects tissue boundaries of a subject in accordance with a received signal based on an ultrasonic echo from a receiving section 103 , by means of a boundary detection section 110 ; and tracks motions of the tissue boundaries of the subject by means of a tissue tracking section 108 . A tissue character value computing section 109 computes tissue character values of the subject from the motions of the tissue boundaries of the subject tracked by the tissue tracking section 108 and a blood pressure value of the subject acquired from a blood pressure value acquisition section 112.

1 . An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:
 a receiving section that outputs a received signal based on an ultrasonic echo reflected from inside of a subject exposed to ultrasonic waves;   a tissue tracking section that tracks motions of tissue boundaries of the subject in accordance with the received signal; and   a tissue character value computing section that computes tissue character values of the subject from the motions of the tissue boundaries of the subject tracked by the tissue tracking section.   
     
     
         2 . An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:
 a receiving section that outputs a received signal based on an ultrasonic echo reflected from inside of a subject exposed to ultrasonic waves;   a boundary detection section that detects tissue boundaries of the subject from the received signal;   a tissue tracking section that tracks, in accordance with the received signal, motions of the tissue boundaries of the subject detected by the boundary detection section; and   a tissue character value computing section that computes tissue character values of the subject from the motions of the tissue boundaries of the subject tracked by the tissue tracking section.   
     
     
         3 . An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:
 a receiving section that outputs a received signal based on an ultrasonic echo reflected from inside of a subject exposed to ultrasonic waves;   a tissue tracking section that tracks motions of tissue of the subject from the received signal;   a tissue boundary detection section that detects tissue boundaries of the subject in accordance with at least either the received signal or the motions of the tissues of the subject tracked by the tissue tracking section; and   a tissue character value computing section that computes tissue character values of the subject from the motions of the tissue of the subject corresponding to the tissue boundaries of the subject detected by the tissue boundary detection section.   
     
     
         4 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of  claims 1  through  3 , further comprising:
 at least two tissue character value computing modes, wherein tissue character values determined from motions of the tissue boundaries of the subject are output in a first tissue character value computing mode; and   tissue character values of a minute area of a fixed size of the subject are determined and output in another tissue character value computing mode.   
     
     
         5 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 memory that stores the received signal, wherein, when a computing mode is switched in a freeze state, tissue character values obtained in a computing mode achieved after switching are output in accordance with a received signal read from the memory.   
     
     
         6 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of  claims 1  through  3 , further comprising a display section for displaying tissue character values of the subject, wherein the display section simultaneously displays tissue character values determined from the motions of the tissue boundaries of the subject and the tissue character values computed in connection with the minute area of the fixed size in the subject. 
     
     
         7 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the tissue character values determined from the motions of the tissue boundaries are numerals, and the tissue character values computed in connection with the minute area of the fixed size are displayed in the form of a distribution image. 
     
     
         8 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of  claims 1  through  3 , further comprising:
 a blood pressure value acquisition section that acquires a blood pressure value of the subject, wherein the tissue character value computing section computes at least either an elastic modulus or a viscosity as a tissue characteristic value of the subject from the motions of the tissue boundaries of the subject and the blood pressure value acquired by the blood pressure value acquisition section.